Mother’s Day celebrated with simple moments and family time in Princeton

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In Princeton’s Palmer Square, mothers and families spent a sunny Mother’s Day strolling through town and enjoying all the little things moms love.

The day felt unhurried and celebratory, filled with small moments and traditions that make the holiday feel special.

Around town, moms, daughters and sons spent the day enjoying quality time together, walking through the streets, browsing shops and sitting down for meals at restaurants the moms happily got to choose. The atmosphere felt relaxed and festive as families made the most of the day by simply being together.

For Stacy Sivinski, this meant enjoying her day with her 7-month-old son and her husband taking a stroll by Princeton University. She explained how she planned to plant marigold seeds with her son, symbolizing her motherly presence throughout his life.

“I’m a novelist, so my book is ‘The Crescent Moon Tea Room,’ and in the book, it features marigold flowers, and it’s about the mother’s presence, and the mom being there even after she’s gone,” Sivinski said.

She brought germinated marigold seeds and dropped them off with her son. She said she plans to get soil and spend her day planting them with her family.

“The plan is that every year, we’ll dry out the seeds as we cut off the blooms, and we’ll, like, have the flowers every year from this year, like, through his whole life, so he has them,” she stated.

Sivinski wanted to spend her special day having dinner and watching 1930s screwball comedies. She emphasized the importance of getting out of the house and engaging in creative pursuits as a first-time mom.

“I think it’s really easy to get caught up with everything, but time slips away really fast. And I think it’s also helpful to find something that you share with them every day,” Sivinski said.

Neha Dudeja, a mom of two children, 9 and 5, pointed out how to find a supportive partner and have patience. She described a lovely brunch with her kids and mentioned special gifts that her kids made for her.

She advised new moms to read books and talk with other mothers to build awareness and better prepare for parenthood.

For moms like Jessica Hernandez, a mom of a 6-year-old visiting from Providence, New Jersey, the day was spent exploring Princeton and getting to know what the town is all about.

Hernandez’s plan for a Mother’s Day celebration was to have lunch with family and choose where to go around town.

“We are just going around town, but every day is special. We were actually visiting family because it was my sister-in-law’s wedding yesterday. So, we are visiting Princeton,” Hernandez added.

She shared advice for new mothers, encouraging them to give themselves grace. “Just don’t be so hard on yourself. Every moment is special, and even the hard ones teach you something,” she said. “The most important thing is remembering that love is the force that helps you through both the happy and difficult moments. Being a mom is a really hard job. Enjoy every moment because they grow up so fast, and they are gone before you know it.”

Hernandez said the relaxed atmosphere made the visit feel like the perfect way to celebrate. For her, the simple moments together made the day especially meaningful and reminded her that Mother’s Day is less about big plans and more about appreciating time with loved ones.

On this day in Palmer Square, Mother’s Day was about families slowing down and spending time together. From walking around town to sharing meals and small traditions, each mom had her own way of celebrating, but the meaning stayed the same.

Whether it was first-time moms or mothers with older kids, everyone talked about appreciating the little moments and how quickly time passes.